In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: S e p te m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A1 2 7 3 . ALLEN v . THE S TATE.

MELTON, Ju stic e

.

F o llo win g a ju ry tria l, Ch a d Ash le y A lle n wa s fo u n d g u ilty o f m u rd e r,

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, a n d v a rio u s o th e r o ffe n se s in c o n n e c tio n with th e sh o o tin g

d e a th o f Ro b e rt Nic ho ls. 1 O n a p p e a l, Alle n c o n te n d s th a t th e tria l c o urt e rre d b y

1 On A p ril 1 7

, 20 13

, Alle n wa s in d ic te d fo r m a lic e m u rd e r, fe lo n y m

u rd e r

p re d ic a te d on a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, p o s se ssio n o f a fire a rm

d u rin g th e c o m m issio n o f a fe lo n y

, p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm b y a c o n v ic te d fe lo n

,

a n d c o n c e a lin g th e d e a th o f a n o th e r. F o l l o w i n g a Ju ne 2 4 -2 8

, 2 0 1 3 ju ry tria l,

Alle n p le d g u ilty to th e p o sse ssio n o f a fire arm b y a c o n v ic te d fe lo n c o u n t, a n d

wa s fo u n d g u ilty b y th e ju ry o n a ll o f th e re m a in in g c ou nts. On Ju n e 2 8, 2 0 1 3

, Alle n wa s se n te n c e d to life in p riso n w ith o u t th e po ssib ility o f pa ro le fo r m a lic e

m u rd e r; fiv e y e a

rs c o n c u rre n t fo r p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm d u rin g th e c o m m issio n

o f a fe lo n y ; te n y e a rs c o n cu r r e n t fo r c on c e a lin g th e d e a th o f a no th e r; a n d fiv e

y e a rs c o n se c u tiv e fo r th e p o sse ssio n of a fire a rm by a c o n v ic te d fe lo n c o u n t to

wh ic h h e h a d p le d g u ilty

. Th e fe lo n y m u rd e r c o u n t wa s v a c a te d b y o p e ra tio n o f

la w (Ma lc o lm v

. S ta te

, 2 6 3 G a

. 3 6 9 ( 4 ) (4 3 4 S E2 d 4 7 9 ) (1 9 9 3 )), a n d th e

re m a in in g a g g ra v a te d a ssa ult c o u n t m e rg e d with th e m a lic e m u rd e r c o u n t fo r

se n te nc in g p u rp o se s. Alle n file d a m o tio n fo r n e w tria l o n Ju ly 2

, 2 0 1 3

, wh ic h

h e a m e nd e d on Ja n u a ry 1 0

, 2 0 1 4

. Th e m o tio n wa s d e n ie d o n De c e m b e r 1 9

, 2 0 1 4. Alle n ’s tim e ly a

p p e a l wa s d o c ke te d in th is Co urt fo r th e Ap ril 2 01 5 te rm

a n d o ra lly a rg u e d o n Ju ly 1 3 , 2 0 15

.im

p ro p e rly c om m e n tin g o n th e e v id e n c e th ro u g h o ne o f its j u r y c h a rg e s,

im p ro p e rly re m o v e d a ju ro r, a n d v io la t e d Alle n’s c o n stitu tio n a l rig h t to b e

p re se nt a t a ll c ritic a l sta ge s o f th e tria l. F o r th e re a so n s th a t fo llo w

, we a ffirm

.

1

. Vie we d i n th e lig h t m o st fa vo ra b le to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e

re v e a ls th a t, o n No v e m

be r 2

, 2 00 9

, Alle n wa s th e v ic t i m o f a h o m e in v a sio n

wh e re fiv e to six m a sk e d m e n with g u ns fo rc e d th e ir w a y in to h is h om e sh o u tin g

“ Na rc ot i c s

. ” D u rin g th e in v a sio n

, Alle n wa s h e ld a t g u n p o in t, th e h o u se wa s

r a n s a c k e d

, a n d two ite m s we re sto le n

. Alle n n a m e d m u ltip le p e o p le to p o lic e

wh o m h e b e lie v e d we re in v olv e d

, b u t th e p o lic e we re u n a b le to c on n e c t Nic h o ls

to th e h o m e in v a sio n d urin g th e c o urse o f th e ir in v e stig a tio n

. In th e we e k s

fo llo win g th e ro bb e ry

, Alle n b e g a n a c c u sin g se v e ra l o f h is f r i e n d s o f b e in g

in v o lv e d in th e h o m e in v a s i o n

, in c lu d in g T. R. Cro w. On No ve m b e r 6, 2 0 0 9

,

Alle n sh o t Cro w fro m th e p a sse n g e r se a t o f a c a r in Ro c k da le Co u nty

, a n d th is

in c id e n t o f a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt w a s a d m itte d in to e v id e nc e a s a sim ila r

tra n sa c tio n in Alle n ’s tria l re la tin g to Nic h o ls’ m u rd e r. On No ve m

b e r 2 3

, 2 0 0 9

,

S a m D a wk in s re c e iv e d a c a ll fro m Alle n

, d u rin g wh ic h Alle n to ld Da w k in s h e

wa s g oin g to k ill th e p e o p le wh o ha d r o b b e d h im a n d th a t h e n e e d e d a g u n

.

Da wk in s g a v e Alle n a sh o tg u n

. La te r th a t d ay

, Alle n r et u r n e d to Da wk in s’

2re sid e n c e in a p ic k u p tru c k

, a n d D a w k in s o bse rv e d th a t Alle n wa s p u llin g th e

rin g s o ff o f Nic h o ls’ d e a d b o d y in th e b e d o f th is tru c k

. At th a t tim e

, Alle n h a d

a “ m a c h in e g u n ” slu ng a

ro u n d h is b o d y a n d w a s we arin g a b u l le t-p ro o f v e st,

m e c h a n ic ’s g lo v e s, a n d a b lu e ju m p su it. Alle n tu rn e d off h is c e ll p ho n e a n d sa id

“ th e y a re n o t g o in g to tra c k m e .” Alle n th e n a d m itte d to Da wk i n s t h at h e h a d

k ille d Nic ho ls b y sh o o tin g h im se v e ra l tim e s b e c a u se h e be lie ve d th a t Nic h o ls

wa s o ne o f th e m e n in v o lv e d in th e h o m e in v a sio n

. On De c e m b e r 6

, 2 0 0 9

,

Nic h o ls’ p a rtia l l y co n c e a le d b o d y wa s fo u n d in a wo o d e d a re a in Wa lto n

Co u n ty , Ge o rg ia

.

Th is e vid e nc e wa s su ffic ie n t to e n a ble a ra tio n a l trie r of fa c t to fin d Alle n

g u ilty o f a ll th e c rim e s o f wh ic h h e wa s c o nv ic te d b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t.

Ja c k so n v . Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U.S . 3 0 7 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 8 1 , 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

2

. A lle n c o n te n ds th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d a n d im p ro p e rly c o m m e n te d o n

th e e v id e n c e b y g iv in g a ju ry c h a rg e wh ic h im p lie d th a t Alle n h im se lf po sse sse d

a n d u se d th e m

u rd e r we a

p o n in th is c a se

, d e sp ite th e fa c t th a t th e m u rd e r

we a p on wa s n e v e r re c o v e re d . Th e c h a rg e sta te d:

Th e sta t e is n o t re q uire d to a d m it in to e vid e n c e th e o ffe n siv e

we a p o n u se d by th e d e fe n d an t in o rd e r to p ro ve th e d e fe n d a n t g u ilty

o f m u rd e r o r a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt. Th e p re se n c e o f a n o ffe n siv e

3w e a p o n o r th e a pp e a ra n c e o f su c h m a y b e e sta b lish e d b y

c irc u m sta n tia l e v id e n c e

. S o m e p h y sic a l m a n ife sta tio n is re qu ire d o r

so m e e v i d e n c e fro m wh ic h th e p re se n c e o f a we a p on m a y b e

in fe rre d

, su c h a s t h e n a tu re

, k in d and lo c a tio n o f th e wo u n d

in flic te d

.

As a n in itia l m a tte r, th e tria l c o u rt’s in stru c tio n wa s le g a lly c o rre c t, in th a t it is

tru e th a t th e S ta te n e e d n o t “ a d m it in to e v id e n c e th e

. . . we a p o n use d b y t h e

d e fe n d a n t in o rd e r fo r th e d e fe n d a n t to b e fo un d g u ilty o f t h e c rim e in v o lv in g

th e we a p o n .” W e lls v

. S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 1 6 1

, 16 7 (3 ) (7 5 8 S E2 d 5 9 8 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (c itin g

La ttim e r v

. S ta te

, 2 3 1 Ga

. Ap p

. 5 9 5 ,5 94 (4 9 9 S E2 d 6 7 1 ) (1 9 9 8 )). Mo re v e r, e v e n

wh e n o n e c o n sid e rs th a t th e c h a rg e h e re wa s g iv e n a fte r th e c h a rg e s listin g th e

e le m e n ts o f m

u rd e r a n d a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, it c a n no t be sa id th a t th e ju d g e wa s

o ffe rin g a n o p in io n th a t Alle n a c tu a lly p o sse sse d a we a p o n o r th a t th e S ta te d id

n o t ha v e t o p ro v e th e e x iste n c e o f su c h a we a p o n th ro u g h c irc u m sta n tia l

e v id e n c e

. In d e e d

, th e ju ry c h a rg e , wh e n re a d in c o n te x t, still le a v e s th e ju ry to

d e c id e

, b a se d o n its o wn e v a lu a tio n o f th e e v id e n c e

, wh e th e r th e S ta te h a s m e t

its b urd e n o f p ro v in g th a t A lle n ac t u al l y p o sse sse d a n d use d a n y we a p o n to

sh o o t an d k ill Nic ho ls. In th is c o n n e c tio n

, th e u se o f th e p hra se “ th e d e fe n d a n t”

in ste a d o f “ a d e fe nd a n t” in th e c h a rg e a lso wo u ld n o t a m o un t to a c om m e n t o n

th e e v id e n c e

, a s, a g a in

, th e c h a rg e m a k e s c le a r th a t it is u p to th e ju ry to d e c id e

4wh e th e r th e S ta te h a s p ro v e n th e e x iste nc e o f a n y we a p o n a n d th a t th e d e fe n d a n t

u se d su c h a we a

p o n to c o m m it th e c rim e s a t issu e

. S e e We lls, su pra

. (ju ry

c h a rg e wh ic h in c lu d e d th e ph ra se “ th e d e a d ly w e a p on u se d b y th e d e fe n d a n t,”

wa s c le arly a re fe re n c e to a n e le m e nt o f th e c rim e th a t th e S ta te h a d to p ro v e

,

a n d n o t a fa c tu a l a sse rtio n b y th e c o u rt a m o u n t i n g t o a c o m m e n t o n th e

e v id e n c e ).

3

. A l l e n c l a im s th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y re m ov in g a ju ro r wh o wa s

u n a b le to re a c h a d e c isio n with th e o th e r ju ro rs d u rin g d e lib e ra tio n s. P u rsu a n t

to OCGA § 1 5 -1 2 -1 7 2

, tria l c o u rts m a y re p la c e a ju ro r with a n a lte rn a te ju ro r if

“ a ju ro r d ie s

, b e c o m e s ill, [o r] up on o th e r g o o d c a u se sh o wn to th e c o u rt is

fo u n d to b e u n a

b le to p e rfo rm h is d u ty

, or is d isc h arg e d fo r o th e r le g a l c a u se .”

He re

, th e re c o rd re v e a ls th a t (1 ) th e re m o v e d ju ro r sta te d se ve ra l tim e s th a t sh e

d id n ot wa n t to fo rm a n o p i n io n a b o u t th e c a se

, a n d (2 ) fu rth e r sta te d th a t sh e

wa s a c tu a lly in c a

p a b le o f m a k in g th e d e c isio n in th e c a se b e c a u se sh e c o u ld n o t

“ p la y G o d ” a

n d b e c a u se h e r m o ra l b e lie fs p re c lu d e d h e r fro m m a k in g a d e c isio n

in th e c a se

. Th e tria l c o u rt m a d e a p r o p e r a n d th o ro ug h in q u iry to th e ju ro r’s

in a b ility to m a k e a de c isio n b a se d on he r m o ra l b e lie fs, a n d we fin d n o a b u se o f

d isc re tio n in th e tria l c o u rt’s de c isio n to re m ov e th e ju ro r. S e e Willia m s v

. S ta te

,

52 7 2 G a

. 8 2 8 (5 ) (5 3 7 S E2 d 3 9 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (tria l c o urt p ro p e rly r emo v e d a ju ro r

wh e re h e r re lig io u s b e lie fs p re c lu d e d h er f ro m fo rm in g a n o p in io n a b o u t th e

c a se ).

4

. Alle n c la im s th a t th e tria l c o urt’s e x p arte c o n v e rsa tio n with o n e o f th e

ju ro rs v io la te d h is c o n stitu tio n a l rig h t to b e pre se n t a t a ll c ritic a l sta g e s o f th e

tria l. Se e Ha n ifa v

. Sta te

, 2 6 9 Ga

. 79 7 (6 ) (5 0 5 S E2 d 7 3 1 ) (1 9 9 8 ). Ho we v e r, th e

re c o rd s h ows th a t Alle n a ffirm a tiv e ly wa iv e d h is c o nstitu tio n a l rig h t to b e

p re se nt a t e a c h b e n c h c o n fe re n c e

. I n d e e d

, a t th e b e g in n in g o f th e tria l, th e

fo llo win g e x c h a n g e to ok

p la c e b e twe e n th e tria l c ou rt a nd Alle n’s c o un se l:

THE COURT: [A] s I un d e rsta n d it,

. . . Mr. Alle n’s p re se nc e a t e a c h

b e n c h c o n fe re n c e is b e in g wa iv e d ; is th a t c o rre c t?

[COUNS E L] : Th a t is c o rre c t. An d I’v e a ssu re d [Alle n ] I’ll e x p la in

to h im wh a t h a pp e n [s] , b u t th e re ’s n o n e e d fo r h im to g o up

.

THE COURT: Ju st wa nte d to n o te th a t fo r th e re c o rd

.

Alle n

, t h e r e fo re

, c a n n o t c o m p la in o n a

pp e a l th a t h is rig h t to b e p re se nt a t th e

b e n c h c o n fe re n c e in q u e stio n wa s v io la te d. S e e W ilso n v

. S ta te

, 2 12 G a

. 7 3 (9 0

S E2 d 5 5 7 ) (1 9 5 5 ) (a lth o u g h th e a c c u se d h a s a rig h t to b e p re se n t a t a ll sta g e s o f

th e tria l, th is ri g h t c a n b e wa iv e d b y th e d e fe n d a n t or by a n a u th o riz e d wa iv e r

o f c o u n se l wh e n m a de in d e fe n d a n t’s p re se n c e o r b y h is e x p re ss a u th o rity ).

6Co u n se l a lso h a d th e o p p o r t u n ity to ob je c t imm e dia te ly a fte r th e tria l c o urt

ju d g e e x p la in e d th e situ a tio n in v o lv in g th e ju ro r, b ut d id n ot d o so

. S e e Ha n ifa

,

su p ra

. (d e fe n d a n t wa iv e d he r rig ht to re v ie w b y fa ilin g to o bje c t o r se e k m istria l

re g a rd in g a c o m m

u n ic a tio n wh e n s h e wa s p re v io u sly a wa re o f th e

c o m m u nic a tio n ).

In a n y e v e nt, e ve n i f A lle n h a d n ot wa iv e d h is rig h t to b e p re se n t, h is

c la im w o u l d s t ill la c k m e rit. In d e e d

, b e c a u se th e c o m m

u n ic a tio n in q u e stio n

o n ly in v olv e d th e tria l c o u rt re sp o n d in g to a ju ro r’s re q u e s t t o ma k e a c a ll to

c h e c k o n th e sta tu s o f a sic k lo v e d o n e

, th e c o m m u n ic a tio n wa s re la te d to th e

“ c o m fo rt a n d c o n v e nie n c e of th e ju ry ,” wh ic h c o u ld n o t h a v e r e su lte d in

p re ju d ic e to Alle n

, e v e n in h is a b se n c e

. Ha nifa

, su p ra

, 2 6 9 Ga

. a t 8 0 7

. Alle n ’s

c la im is with o u t m e rit.

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

7